Are Chickpeas Bad For You?
Also Known As: Garbanzo beans
Short answer
Chickpeas are very good for you. The nutrient-dense legume can help you control your weight, improve heart health and more. Chickpeas are, however, known to cause serious gas - beware!
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
Contrary to the name, chickpeas are not peas at all. Rather, they are members of the legume family. Also known as garbanzo beans, chickpeas are the earliest legumes to be cultivated—with remnants of such dating back to 7,500 years ago in the Middle East.
Chickpeas incredibly nutrient-dense, providing 20 percent or more of the daily recommended value for protein, fiber, folate and other dietary minerals. The super-legume also offers a significant amount of thiamin, vitamin B6, magnesium, and zinc.
What’s all that mean?
Eating chickpeas can help you lose weight or, at the very least, keep the number on the scale in check. Since legumes like chickpeas are chock-full of both protein and fiber, they enable you to feel fuller longer and on fewer calories. It also helps control your body's urge to pump insulin. Typically, insulin is released when your blood sugar spikes after a meal. This is detrimental to weight loss as insulin is a fat-storing hormone which may play a role in the onset of central obesity, also known as belly fat.
Chickpeas are also good for your heart. Numerous studies have also suggested that fiber helps lower LDL cholesterol levels, thus decreasing the risk of heart disease. Folate, another abundant nutrient found in chickpeas, has been linked to the control of high homocysteine levels—a well-known risk factor for heart disease. Finally, magnesium is another super-nutrient found in chickpeas. It helps support proper blood pressure levels and fight the onset of hypertension.
Chickpeas may even help reduce your risk of certain types of cancer. When your stomach bacteria begins to break down and ferment chickpea fiber, the reaction produces a metabolite called butyrate. A short-chain fatty acid, butyrate has been shown to promote the destruction of cancer-causing cells. Plus, beta-sitosterol, chickpea’s primary plant compound, has been linked to a reduction in colon tumors in animal studies.
So why would anyone pass on chickpeas? While chickpeas generally offer many dietary perks, there are a couple of side effects to eating them that you should be aware of. The high-fiber content can cause stomach issues: bloating, gas, cramps, and diarrhea are all possible.
Our advice? Don’t skip out on chickpeas: a little gas is a small price to pay for the many health benefits this legume offers. If the flatulence is a concern for you, simply scale back your serving sizes or indulge less frequently. And if you have pre-existing digestion issues or a sensitive stomach, speak with your physician before adding chickpeas to your regular diet as the side effects may be more severe with these conditions.
Possible short-term side effects
- bloating
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gas
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abdominal cramps
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diarrhea
Benefits
- promotes weight loss
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decreases risk of heart disease
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decreases risk of hypertension
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protects against certain types of cancer
Recommended by us
(what is this?)
Non-GMO Chickpeas
- USA grown
- Non-GMO
- Kosher
- Field Traced
- 1 cup dried = 2.5 cups cooked
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